Staff Research Associate II

at  University of California San Francisco

The Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine (BCMM) is seeking Research Assistants to join our team and contribute to new and ongoing projects. The BCMM is focused on human microbiome research, with a particular interest in accelerating discovery and translation in the fields of early life microbiome and therapeutic development. The Center supports multiple collaborative technology hubs that facilitate microbiome research projects led by researchers across UCSF.
Staff Research Associate 2 will provide technical support to technology hub projects, receiving, cataloging and processing a variety of sample types from investigators. Projects will be diverse, spanning disciplines within all schools across campus. Research Associate is responsible for sample processing, data generation, and will contribute to general facility management and analyses, manuscript, and report generation. Research Associate will work closely with other team members and project investigators to facilitate timely project progress. In addition to research projects, candidates will collaborate with other team members on the development of novel tools to address ongoing challenges in the field of translational microbiome research. Other specific responsibilities vary across the technology hubs and will reflect the candidate’s expertise. Duties are generally limited to a single tech hub; typical duties for each technology hubs are summarized below. We are actively seeking candidates for our genomic, metabolomic, and gnotobiotic facilities.
Genomics: Sample extraction for library preparation and sequencing (16S rRNA, ITS2, metagenomics), and data analyses
Metabolomics: Sample preparation for library preparation, analytical chemistry (liquid and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and data analyses.
Microbial Culturing: Expanding curated collection of microbial isolates, microbial isolate characterization (genotypic and phenotypic), and data analyses
Gnotobiotics: Providing basic facility maintenance and husbandry within gnotobiotic isolators, performing advanced experimental techniques (experimental agent administration), execute laboratory techniques to monitor sterility of our germ-free mouse colonies (microbial culture and gram staining).
Enabling leadership and professional development opportunities is central to the BCMM culture. Candidates will have opportunities to collaborate on scientific publications and will work with their supervisor to create a tailored professional development plan to further their career goals.
The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.
To see the salary range for this position (we recommend that you make a note of the job code and use that to look up): TCS Non-Academic Titles Search (https://tcs.ucop.edu/non-academic-titles)
Please note: An offer will take into consideration the experience of the final candidate AND the current salary level of individuals working at UCSF in a similar role.
For roles covered by a bargaining unit agreement, there will be specific rules about where a new hire would be placed on the range.
To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

The Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine (BCMM) is home to UCSF’s community of over 130 faculty, staff, and trainees dedicated to the integrative human microbiome research. Established in 2019 by the generous support of Mark and Lynne Benioff, the Center provides access to state of art technology hubs, research funds, and educational programming to advance our knowledge of the human microbiome’s potential to predict, prevent and treat a wide range of diseases.
Note: If this is a reclassification request or a replacement with significant changes, please briefly describe (no more than 2 paragraphs) the significant changes that have taken place since the position was last reviewed. Additionally, please provide a copy of the former job description for the position.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS in a related science and one or more years of recent, directly related work experience, utilizing the techniques or methods required by the position; an/or equivalent experience/training
• Knowledge of scientific methodology and related research literature sufficient to contribute original ideas; or journey-level knowledge of scientific procedures in two or more distinct fields of science.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills are required.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, interpret, evaluate, and present research findings in a variety of formats including research manuscripts, grant proposals, external manuscripts, and oral presentations and in collaborative and instructional scientific interactions within laboratory and discussion settings.
• Ability to utilize on-line databases and other software to create, retrieve, and compile data using standard software programs.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with colleagues, faculty, donors, and industry partners, with an emphasis on collaboration, tact, diplomacy, flexibility, professionalism, and discretion.
• Solid communications skills with the ability to speak and write clearly about technical and scientific research and develop narrative for correspondence, protocols, and other materials.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with handling pathogenic microbes, aseptic techniques.
• Experience in microbial culture and characterization, including anaerobic culture techniques, strain genotyping and phenotyping.
• Experience with human microbiome molecular techniques (high-throughput sample processing, biomarker sequencing etc.)
• Experience in mass spectrometry or other analytical chemistry approaches.
• Experience in mouse research, including: handling, restraint, oral gavage, intraperitoneal injection, breeding (plug and pregnancy checks, determining age and sex of litters).
• Experience in large-scale sample handling and processing.

Please refer the Job description for details